ES2318688T3 - PATIENT SUPPORT SURFACE FOR A TABLE OF OPERATIONS. - Google Patents

Abstract

Patient support surface for an operating table with a support column (10), comprising a multitude of support surface sections (18, 32, 70, 72, 106), of which a middle section is configured (18 ) that the connection with the clamping column (10) of the operating table and that they are reversibly coupled to each other by means of interfaces (30, 68, 104), at least one section of support surface can be adjusted ( 70, 72) with respect to an adjacent section of support surface (32) in the area of an interface (68), the middle section (18) of the support surface (16) being able to be connected by at least one of its ends to one end of an intermediate section (32) through a first interface (30), which can be connected at its other end to another support surface section (70, 72) through a second interface (68), characterized in that the first interface (30) has two first coupling elements (34, 36) qu e are positively engaged for a rigid joint and have transmission elements (60, 56), which come into contact with each other during engagement, for the transmission of signals and / or energy, and because the second interface (68) comprises two second coupling elements (74, 90) intended to be positively engaged, of which the second coupling element (74) arranged in the intermediate section (32) can be adjusted around an axis (88) parallel to the plane of the surface of support and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support surface by means of an actuator arranged in the intermediate section.

Description

Patient support surface for a table of operations.

The present invention refers to a patient support surface for an operating table, comprising a multitude of support surface sections, of which configures a middle section for connection with the clamping column of the operating table and that some to others reversibly through interfaces, being able to fit at least one section of support surface, in the area of an interface, relative to an adjacent surface section of support.

Numerous support surfaces of the patient, in which individual sections or segments can adjust or pivot with respect to each other. The setting can be done manually or also by motor. In motor adjustment, the energy to drive the motors must be conducted to through the points of articulation. This makes replacement difficult. of the individual support surface sections. Without However, replacement of the sections is precisely desirable. surface, to adapt the support surface of the patient to different operations and therefore raise the flexibility of the support surface system. Evidently, replacement of support surface sections implies also the risk that they do not combine for a mutual union certain sections of support surface between them, being able to deteriorate parts of the support surface or There is a danger to patients or staff OP. EP 0 913 139 shows a patient support surface for an operating table with the technical characteristics of the generic term of Claim 1.

The present invention is based on the objective of design a patient support surface of the aforementioned type initially, in a way that guarantees, with the lowest technical cost possible, the highest possible flexibility and high security during handling

This objective is met according to the invention by the fact that the first interface has first two  coupling elements that are positively hooked for a rigid joint, which have transmission elements, which enter contact between them during the hitch, for the transmission of signals and / or energy, and that the second interface comprises two second coupling elements intended to engage positively, of which the second coupling element arranged in the intermediate section can be adjusted around a axis parallel to the plane of the support surface and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support surface by means of a actuator arranged in the intermediate section.

It has been shown, that, for most of operations, it is not absolutely necessary that all the support surface sections can be adjusted by motor, in each case, with respect to its adjacent surface section of support. In the solution according to the invention, the section intermediate is configured in practice as a module of drive If a motor adjustment is required, the section intermediate is coupled to the middle section of the surface of support, transferring the drive energy from the middle section or from the clamping column, through the Middle section. The intermediate section then contains the actuator, with which a support surface section can be adjusted coupled to it through the second interface. It's not necesary a transmission of the drive energy through the second Interface. At the same time, there is also the possibility of omitting the intermediate section and match certain sections of support surface directly with the middle section of the patient support surface.

To enable a fast and efficient connection to interfaces, it is appropriate that, in both interfaces, in each case, one of the coupling elements is provided with at least a hook and the other coupling element of at least one complementary incorporation for the hook. To prevent this hook connection is released involuntarily, it is appropriate that the coupling elements of the interfaces hooked ones with others they can block each other by blocking positive.

To ensure that the intermediate section only can be coupled in a certain position to the middle section and so as not to avoid the coupling for surface sections mutually determined, the coupling elements of the First and second interface are not supported.

In a preferred mode of execution of the patient support surface according to the invention can hook another support surface section, which can engage in the middle section through a second interface, at its other end through a third interface to a accessory piece. This third interface may comprise third parties positively engaging coupling elements, which guarantee a secure coupling.

The third coupling elements are preferably design so that the third element of accessory side coupling be compatible with the first coupling element arranged in the middle section and that the third coupling element arranged in the other section of support surface is incompatible with the first element of coupling arranged in the intermediate section. Therefore, the piece accessory can be attached directly to the middle section, although the intermediate section and the other support surface section do not They can exchange each other. Such an exchange could lead to too many surface sections and they are too heavy to fit with each other, so that you don't continue to guarantee the function and safety of the surface of patient support

The actuator preferably comprises in the intermediate section a worm screw driven by a motor and a helical wheel driven by it, the second element being adjustable coupling connected in the intermediate section and to torsion test with the helical wheel.

A great variety of possibilities of adjustment of the patient's support surface because, in a preferred embodiment of the support surface of the patient according to the invention, the middle section comprises two segments, which can pivot relative to each other around a tilting axis oriented transversely to the direction longitudinal support surface.

In the solution according to the invention, the middle section, that is, the positioning surface counts, by minus one of its ends, with a first interface, where you can place a second support surface element.

This second element can be, however, also a Roentgen ray-permeable CfK module, a device extension or other special accessory, which does not require, according to the requirements, no motor pivotability but yes, in counterpart, a high mechanical load capacity of the elements of coupling. Since no articulation of the surfaces of support has to pivot this first interface, these elements of Coupling can be designed very rigid and loadable.

This second element may also be the intermediate section, which can be connected with another element of support surface, allowing an actuator integrated in the section intermediate pivot to the attachable support surface element around an axis parallel to the plane of the support surface and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the surface of support. The first interface is provided with elements of power and signal transmission, which can come into contact with the first intermediate section.

Other features and advantages of the invention they are deduced from the following description, which explains the invention in cooperation with the attached drawings based on an example of execution. They show:

Fig. 1 a side view partially schematic of an operating table with a support surface  of the patient according to the invention,

Fig. 2 a partially top view schematic perspective of a support surface divided into its individual support surface sections,

Fig. 3 a schematic representation in perspective of a coupling element of the first interface arranged in the middle section,

Fig. 4 a representation corresponding to the Figure 3 of the coupling element of the first interface arranged in the middle section,

Fig. 5 a schematic sectional view of the coupling elements of the first interface hooked ones with others,

Fig. 6 a perspective representation of the coupling elements of the third interface intended for mesh between them,

Fig. 7 a representation corresponding to the Figure 4 of the coupling element of the third interface arranged in an accessory piece,

Fig. 8 a partial schematic representation of the coupling elements of the second interface intended for mesh between them,

Fig. 9 a partial perspective arrangement of the coupling elements of the second interface hooked One with another,

Fig. 10 the adjustable coupling element of the second interface provided in the intermediate section, including its actuator, solo and

Fig. 11 a perspective representation of the coupling element of the second interface arranged in the another section of support surface, alone.

The operating table represented in the Figure 1 comprises a clamping column 10 with a column foot 12 and a column head 14, in which a surface of Patient support generally designated with 16.

The patient support surface 16 is composed of a multitude of segments or coupled modules of reversible way. It includes, in each case, a middle section 18, constituted, in the examples of execution of the surface of support 16 represented in Figures 1 and 2, by two segments 20. These are housed in a connection frame 26 so that they can pivot with its stringers 22 around a common axis 24, which can hooked to a chair not represented, which, on the other hand, can move on a convexly curved guide 28 of the head of column 14. In Figure 1, this chair is located near the right end of guide 28. Connection frame 26 carries drive mechanisms, to pivot segments 22 and, by therefore, the entire support surface 16 around the axis of the wave 24. Therefore, the support surface 16 can be inclined from the desired mode or also retain its horizontal position, when the chair travels on the guide 28. The adjustment of the surface of support 16 together and its connection with column 10 do not need Be described here further.

The middle section 18 can be hooked by its ends, that is, by the ends of the stringers 22, in each case, through a first interface 30, with the sections intermediate 32 configured as articulation modules. The interface 30 comprises, in each case, first elements of coupling 34, 36 intended to engage, which are arranged in the middle section 18, that is, on stringers 22 of a segment 20 and / or in stringers 38 of intermediate section 32 which correspond and are thoroughly represented in Figures 3 to 5.

The coupling element 34 arranged in the middle section 18, represented in Figure 3, is configured in block shape and has a flange 40 on its upper face, behind from which a grooved depression is designed 42. The element of counter-coupling of the first interface 30 represented in the Figure 4 has an incorporation bag 44 for incorporation of the first coupling element 34 in block form and, in the upper edge of this incorporation bag 44, a flange 46 hook-shaped width with a groove 48 located behind (Figure 5). When the first coupling elements 34 and 36 are engage, the flange 40 of the coupling element 34 is found in groove 48 and flange 46 in groove 42,  as shown in Figure 5.

On contact surfaces mutually oriented 50 and 52 of both coupling elements 34 and 36 are configure contact elements for power transmission and signs. The contact surface 50 is provided for this. incorporation holes 54, in which there are contact elements 56 (Figure 5), connected to a connection plate 58. In the contact surface 52 of the counter coupling element 36 contact bolts 60 are housed elastically adjustable, intended for gear in the holes of incorporation 54 and for contacting the elements of contact 56, as shown in Figure 5. Therefore, through middle section 18 signals and current can be transmitted between the column 10 and intermediate sections 32.

In the coupling position represented in Figure 5, the coupling elements 34 and 36 together by a spring loaded locking pin 62, which fits into a recess 64 of the counter coupling element 36. For decoupling, this pin can be pressed lock 62 via a button 66, so that the two coupling elements 34 and 36 can be separated again.

The respective intermediate section 32 may hook by its far end of middle section 18 to another support surface section 70 (right in Figure 2) or 72 (on the left in Figure 2) through a second interface 68. In the example of execution shown, the section on support surface 70 is formed by a dorsal plate and the support surface section 72 by a leg plate. The coupling elements of the second interface 68 should be described more fully on the basis of Figures 8 to 11. The Figures 8 to 11 show the coupling elements intended for engage in the area of, in each case, a stringer of the support surface sections to join. The element of coupling 74 assigned to intermediate section 32 comprises a external incorporation for hook 76 (Figure 8) and a internal incorporation for hook 78 (Figure 10), attached, in each case, torsion-proof to a shaped sealing flange of disk 80 and / or 82 of a cylindrical transmission housing 82. These sealing flanges 80, 82 are torsionally bonded with a helical wheel not shown and housed inside the transmission housing 84, which meshes with a spindle transmission housed in a housing block 86 and coupled to a electric motor not shown. By driving the motor you can jointly pivot the incorporations for hooks 76 and 78 around axis 88 of the helical wheel.

The counter-coupling element 90, assigned to the coupling element 74, of the other support surface section 70 is formed by two flat end sections of a stringer 92 of the support surface section 70, provided with hooks 94 and 96 complementary to the hooks 76 and 78 incorporations. If the hooks 94 and 96 are hooked into the hooks 76 and 78, the two stringer sections enclose the transmission housing 84 between them, as shown in Figure 9. For the locking of both coupling elements 74 and 90 of the second interface 68 a locking hook 98 is used, which is mounted on the stringer 92 so that it can pivot about an axis 100 and that engages in a recess 102 configured in the internal incorporation for the hook 78, when the two coupling elements 74 and 90 are adjusted. This locking hook 98 can be lifted
in a manner it does not represent the recess 102, when the coupling elements must be released from each other.

The above description shows that coupling elements of the second interface 68 and the elements Docking the first interface 30 are not supported. The support surface section 70 and / or 72 can be connected, by therefore, only with the coupling elements 74 actuated from the intermediate section 32, but not with coupling elements 34 or 36 of the first interface 30. Nor are the elements of coupling 74 of intermediate section 32 can be coupled to coupling elements 34 of the middle section 18. Therefore, the intermediate section 32 can only be combined with middle section 18 in a predefined position. This prevents the sections of the support surface are mounted in a constellation not provided

The other support surface section 70, represented here as a dorsal plate, can be attached at its end section of intermediate section 32 even to another piece of support surface 106, for example, a head plate, to through a third interface 104 (Figure 1). For description of the coupling elements of the third interface 104 is made reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 shows an element of coupling 108 arranged in the support surface section 70 and a coupling element 110 arranged in the section of support surface 106, whose interior can be recognized in the Figure 7. From the comparison with Figures 3 and 4, it is recognizes that coupling elements 108, 110 are identical to coupling elements 34 and / or 36, with the exception that in the ribbed incorporation for the hook 42 of the element of coupling 108 a block 112 is centrally arranged, to which a complementary recess 114 corresponds to the flange 46 of the coupling element 110. This results in the coupling element 110 can be engaged in an element of coupling 34 of the first interface 30 arranged in the section mean 18, but not the coupling element 36 of the first interface arranged in intermediate section 32 in an element of coupling 108 of the support surface section 70. The first case was represented in Figure 1, in which, on the left of the middle section 18, a section of support surface 106 instead of an intermediate section 32. A Coupling of this type is allowed by special sorting of the coupling elements of the first and third Interface.

Another difference between the elements of coupling 108 and 110 and coupling elements 34, 36 it consists in that in the first ones no contact is foreseen for the signal transmission and / or energy.

As can be recognized, the elements of All interfaces are configured so that, in Each situation relevant to the operation technique, the load is transfer through positive union. The lock is not exposed never to load in a pivoting range of 90º upwards and towards the central position.

Claims (9)

1. Patient support surface for an operating table with a support column (10), comprising a multitude of support surface sections (18, 32, 70, 72, 106), of which a middle section is configured (18) that the connection with the clamping column (10) of the operating table and that they are reversibly coupled to each other by means of interfaces (30, 68, 104), at least one surface section of support (70, 72) with respect to an adjacent section of support surface (32) in the area of an interface (68), the middle section (18) of the support surface (16) being able to be connected by at least one of its ends to one end of an intermediate section (32) through a first interface (30), which can be connected at its other end to another support surface section (70, 72) through a second interface (68), characterized in that the first interface (30) has two first coupling elements (34, 36) which are positively hooked for a rigid joint and have transmission elements (60, 56), which come into contact with each other during engagement, for the transmission of signals and / or energy, and because the second interface (68) comprises two second coupling elements (74, 90) intended to be positively engaged, of which the second coupling element (74) arranged in the intermediate section (32) can be adjusted around an axis (88) parallel to the plane of the surface of support and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support surface by means of an actuator arranged in the intermediate section. 2. Patient support surface according to Claim 1, characterized in that in both interfaces (30, 68), in each case, one of the coupling elements is provided with at least one hook (46; 94, 96) and the another coupling element is provided with at least one complementary incorporation for the hook (42; 76, 78). 3. Patient support surface according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the coupling elements of the interfaces (30, 68) engaged with each other can be mutually blocked by a positive block (62, 64; 98, 100). 4. Patient support surface according to at least one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the coupling elements of both interfaces (30, 68) are not mutually compatible. 5. Patient support surface according to at least one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one other support surface section (70), which can be attached to the intermediate section (32) through a second interface (68 ), can be attached at its other end to an accessory part (106) through a third interface (104). 6. Patient support surface according to Claim 5, characterized in that the third interface (104) comprises third coupling elements (108, 110) that are positively engaged. 7. Patient support surface according to Claim 6, characterized in that the third coupling elements (108, 110) are designed so that the third coupling element (110) on the side of the accessory is compatible with the first coupling element (34) disposed in the middle section (18), and because the third coupling element (108) disposed in the other support surface section (70) is incompatible with the first coupling element (36) arranged in the intermediate section (32) 8. Patient support surface according to at least one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the actuator comprises a worm driven by a motor and a helical wheel driven by it, and because the second adjustable coupling element (76, 78 ) is connected torsionally to the worm wheel. 9. Patient support surface according to at least one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the middle section (18) comprises two segments (20), which can be pivoted relative to each other around a tilting axis (24) oriented transversely to the longitudinal direction of the support surface.